Sanders Delivers Walk-Off Hit as WKU Softball Hits 20 Wins

Saturday, March 19

Bowling Green, Ky.

1 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

20-4, 4-1

UTEP

10-16, 1-4

UTEP

WKU

3/19/2022 4:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With Saturday's 2-1 walk-off win to secure a series victory over UTEP, [RV] WKU Softball also matched the program record for fewest games needed to earn 20 wins at just 24. The Hilltoppers saw Taylor Sanders send a two-out base hit through the left side to plate Taylor Davis for the walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh – WKU's fifth walk-off win of the campaign.

"We put ourselves in a position to win with great pitching by [Katie] Gardner and then [Shelby] Nunn coming in late," began head coach Amy Tudor. "Our defense was solid all day and in the last innings our 2-6 hitters got on, which led to the win. Davis and Sanders had big days at the plate with Sanders hitting the walk off. We left several stranded in scoring position today, which is something we need to take advantage of tomorrow to close out the series."

The Hilltoppers climbed to 20-4 with the victory and 4-1 in Conference USA play. Additionally, the Red and White now sit at 6-2 all-time against UTEP. The Miners moved to 10-16 overall and 1-4 in league action.

WKU needed just 24 games to hit 20 wins on the season matching the program record set by the 2020 squad, who began the campaign 20-4.

The Hilltoppers are also now 12-0 when playing at the WKU Softball Complex this season.

WKU saw Davis strike for a single in the first before stealing second and ending up stranded. Sanders connected for a double in the second inning but again was stranded. Randi Drinnon reached via a Miner fielding error in the third. From there, TJ Webster dropped a sacrifice bunt to move Drinnon into scoring position before Davis stepped into the box and snuck a double down the left field line to plate the first run of the game for a 1-0 lead.

It would be zeroes on the board both ways from there until the top of the seventh inning. In that span, WKU's starting pitcher, Katie Gardner, worked a perfect game into the top of the fifth frame, retiring the first 13 batters she faced in the game. Gardner and the Tops stranded two UTEP runners in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning to keep the Miners off the board.

Abby Newman, TJ Webster and Maddie Bowlds each added a hit through the middle innings of the game but would end up stranded.

UTEP would ultimately strike for its first run of the series in the top of the seventh in the form of a solo home run to knot the game at 1-1. Shelby Nunn took over in the circle after UTEP tied it up. The Miners would finish with one run on two hits while stranding two go-ahead runs on the bases in the frame.

Davis connected for a one-out single through the left side to get the Tops started in the bottom of the seventh. Next up, Brylee Hage drew a walk to push Davis into scoring position. Two batters later, Jordan Ridge recorded a single to load the bases bringing up Sanders. Swinging at the first pitch she saw, Sanders sent a single to the left field grass to plate Davis for the Tops' winning run.

Nunn would ultimately earn the win in the circle after Gardner left with the game tied. Gardner finished with 6.0+ innings pitched while allowing just three hits and one walk on four strikeouts. Nunn worked the final three outs for the Tops, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out two. The fifth-year senior climbs to 12-2 on the season with the relief appearance victory. Additionally, Nunn now sits seven relief appearances shy of tying the program record.

COMPLETE WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday
2 p.m. – WKU def. UTEP, 6-0

Saturday
1 p.m. – WKU def. UTEP, 2-1

Sunday
1 p.m. – WKU vs. UTEP

Monday
6 p.m. – WKU vs. No. 10 Arkansas

TOP STORYLINES

WKU moves to 6-2 all-time against UTEP with the decision and 12-0 in games at the WKU Softball Complex this season.
Coach Tudor is in her 18th season as a head coach – ninth on The Hill – and owns a 471-367-2 career coaching record.
WKU is now 8-0 in one-run games this season and 15-0 when scoring first.
Nunn improved to 12-2 in the circle with the win. Her relief appearance marked the 60^th of her career, bringing her seven away from tying the program record currently held by Kelsey Aikey.
Taylor Davis went 3-for-3 on the game, marking her second three-hit effort of the season and ninth overall multi-hit performance of the campaign.
WKU needed just 24 games to hit 20 wins on the season matching the program record set by the 2020 squad, who began the campaign 20-4.
Saturday's win marked the WKU Softball program's 699^th all-time win in just the program's 23^rd season of existence. WKU has averaged the second-most wins per season in the program's existence of all current C-USA teams behind only Florida Atlantic.

How to Follow Hilltopper Softball: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.